urinate

American

[yoor-uh-neyt] / ˈyʊər əˌneɪt /

verb (used without object)

urinated, urinating

to pass or discharge urine.

urinate British

/ ˈjʊərɪˌneɪt /

verb

(intr) to excrete or void urine; micturate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of urinate

1590–1600; < Medieval Latin ūrīnātus, past participle of ūrīnāre, equivalent to Latin ūrīn ( a ) urine + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But he feared something more serious might be happening after experiencing bladder issues, including needing to get up several times a night to urinate.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

Selam found life in the mountains of Tigray challenging: "For me it was difficult to urinate in the wild."

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

Alarmed at the realness of their struggle, they toss their smallfolk a cash bump, a modest promotion, or maybe, if they’re really lucky, a nicer place to urinate.

From Salon • Feb. 23, 2026

Those symptoms can include needing to urinate more frequently, as well as a slow or weak urinary stream.

From BBC • May 19, 2025

Each set of six ate together, slept together, and had to urinate and defecate together.

From "Copper Sun" by Sharon M. Draper

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023